Garrido Stray Rescue says abused dogs found on Elston recovering; police search for culprits
by BRIAN NADIG
Two abused dogs recently found at an apartment building in the 5800 block of North Elston Avenue are recovering from lacerations and other injuries, according to the Garrido Stray Rescue Foundation.
“Chase,” described as a 3-year-old husky mix, is the father to “Lucky.”
“Chase is a little slower to recover. He was found in front of the building at 6:45 a.m. Monday (Feb. 24). He was just lying there, unleashed … could have left but felt defeated (due to the severe wounds),” said foundation co-founder John Garrido, also a Chicago police lieutenant.
Both dogs are eating and starting to heal from their wounds, which include large cuts and a burn injury to one of Lucky’s eyes, Garrido said.
At 6:50 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 25, police returned to the building, and a previous owner of Lucky turned him over to officers. She told police that she had given Lucky to a friend, who gave it to a man in the building but that she recently recovered Lucky, according to 16th (Jefferson Park) District police.
In addition, a witness reported hearing dogs being beaten inside the building, according to police.
An identification chip in Chase helped police determine that he had five different owners between Jan. 21 and Feb. 24, Garrido said.
Police ask that anyone with information about the abuse call the district at 312-742-4480.
Police have released the dogs to the foundation, and both are being treated at the Niles Animal Hospital.
The foundation is recognized by the city’s Animal Care and Control as an authorized stray hold rescue organization, as it maintains a memorandum of understanding with the Dog House in Chicago to shelter those dogs when foster homes cannot be immediately found. The foundation has a similar agreement with the hospital to provide medical treatment for the dogs.
In the past few years, the foundation has assisted about 600 dogs, a dozen cats, two roosters, and according to Garrido, “even one python.” About 500 people attended a Feb. 27 fundraiser for the foundation which aldermen Nicholas Sposato (38th), Anthony Napolitano (41st) and Jim Gardiner (45th) hosted.
